The Downfall Of Battle Club
by A-Gallade
Summary: The world has never been the same without Pokémon. The ban on Pokémon two years ago by Giovanni has plundered people like me into the depths of misery; my dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master becoming non-existent... but I refuse to just sit here and moan. Giovanni's 'New World' is going to be challenged, and we will bring back our Pokémon. Pearlshipping.
1. Prologue

**Okay, so, alongside **_**Jirachi's Wish**_**, I'll be writing this fic, too. I've had this idea a long, long time ago (literally almost a year and half), but I never really got round to writing about it. Please tell me your feedback. This fic, however, will be a Pearlshipping fic for all you Pearlshippers out there ^_^ but Dawn's introduction to the story won't come until a little later. Also, it should be noted that parts of this fic were inspired by one of my favourite films ever, **_**Fight Club**__. _

**This is only the prologue to what should be a long-ish fic. Anyhow, on with the show!**

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**The Downfall of Battle Club**

**Chapter 1**

**.:. Prologue .:. **

The awe inspiring Pokémon World. It's a shame they don't call it that anymore, but then again, Pokémon are so rare these days, how could _I_ still be calling it that?! I guess I could never truly grasp the fact that the Pokémon days were over…

Never would I, or even anyone for that matter, have expected that such a thing would happen, but it did: Pokémon were banned.

Why and how? I should probably explain, but first, let me tell you how the whole world around me descended into the mess it now is.

Born and bred at the peak of Pokémon, I did what every other young boy did at my age, I became a Pokémon Trainer. My name is Ash Ketchum, and just like many Pokémon Trainers around the world, my aim was to become a Pokémon Master. But what separated me from just any other Pokémon Trainer was that I was almost there…

After participating in many competitions around the world, I knew that my dream was closing in, that is was surely within reaching distance. After many years, after all the sweat, blood and tears, the many frightful endeavours that my Pokémon and I had to go through, I travelled back to my home-region, Kanto, standing at the forefront of the Indigo Plateau – the location where I hoped to become a Pokémon Master. With an ambitious smile on my Pokémon's face, I set of on the final leg of my journey. I knew for certain that within the next six months, I'd be fighting some of the most formidable Trainers in Kanto, but I stayed confident. After all, all I had to do was collect eight badges… seems simple enough, right?

I was wrong.

No, not just wrong. Nothing says 'I was wrong' more than not collecting a single badge in the last two years. Two years since I entered the Kanto region, and it was as if I was never there…

When recalling the exact moment where my life plundered, an image appears in my mind of when I entered Viridian City Pokémon Centre to find a hostile crowd of Pokémon Trainers gathering around a giant screen. On that screen was Giovanni, or should I say… newly-elected Mayor Giovanni.

Over the several months that I had been travelling, I had picked up a few things about politics: one, never become a politician; two, politicians control us Pokémon Trainers, indirectly; and three, there was once a man called Giovanni.

Here's what I knew about Giovanni:

From the rumours I've heard from eavesdropping on conversations, Giovanni was apparently once head of massive organisation, Team Rocket, as well as the Viridian City Gym Leader, but this was only temporarily. What they did at Team Rocket was always very confusing to me. I encounter their agents on a regular basis, claiming my Pikachu. They weren't very strong Pokémon Trainers, so every time we meet is just a breeze.

Another _very_ interesting rumour that I heard was that of a mysterious Pokémon called 'Mewtwo'. This artificially made Pokémon that was supposedly created by Giovanni, or should I say, his scientists. Believed to be a clone of a legendary Pokémon called Mew, Giovanni had created what was deemed to be the ultimate Pokémon. Of course, Giovanni wasn't going to let anybody see such a monstrosity, so he kept it deep within the cellars of his headquarters, imprisoning his Mewtwo in countless cages, surrounded by innumerable armed guards. What he wanted with this Pokémon or what was he trying to achieve? Beats me. Power was the only logical response.

It wasn't long after; during an experiment with Giovanni's newly found super Pokémon where Mewtwo escaped, and that's where the disappearance of Pokémon began.

Giovanni was what you would call 'that guy who can't let it go'. Regardless of the monstrosity that many people deemed Mewtwo to be, Mewtwo was still his Pokémon. Despite how big of a handful my Pikachu can be, I'd be distraught if it went missing. I'd go mad, crazy, even. But comparing my little Pikachu to a Psychic powerhouse wasn't exactly the right thing to do. With the monster on the loose, you'd expect Giovanni to send out army after army of rescue teams to hunt down and return Mewtwo to Giovanni. Wrong.

Giovanni must've wanted power, and the only counter to power was the power of the people. What was this power? Their Pokémon. As powerful as Mewtwo was, a small army of Pokémon was it all it would've took to take it out. And then what? Giovanni would've been exposed. Team Rocket, abolished. All of his experiments, gone. The solution for Giovanni: get rid of Pokémon. With Pokémon out of the way, it would've been safe to search for Mewtwo again, and once he had Mewtwo, there would've been no defence for the people. Giovanni would then have everything.

He knew that to settle his hate, he had to get rid of all Pokémon. Only the person at the top could make the laws on Pokémon, and Giovanni wanted that position so bad. Fuelled by money and greed, Giovanni advanced his way through society's hierarchy to get to the very top. He bribed people to vote for him, he rigged elections and threatened his opponents and their supporters with death. Mob bosses kneeled down to him; powerful political figures stepped aside and allowed Giovanni to take the power from everyone. It wasn't long before he achieved step one…

Giovanni had a plan. He invited his remaining political rivals to a supposed 'dinner event', hosted by himself in the rougher side of town. It was the oldest trick in the book, and they fell for it. Before Giovanni's rivals could react, the event was swarmed with Pokémon designed with the intention of killing, courtesy of Giovanni and his experiments. The ferocious Pokémon shredded through the party guests without a single ounce of mercy, after all, that's how Giovanni designed them. Smiling along the way, Giovanni had created this 'incident' as a reason to ban tournaments, contests and every Pokémon related event would have to be closed down. He claimed they were fearsome creatures, malefic and bloodthirsty. Hidden behind that forced frown of his was a well-maintained smile that yearned for such a moment. Everything had gone to plan, and it was only the beginning…

Rolling on his momentum, his approval ratings shooting up, it was merely a week later when another policy was announced. Standing proud on national television, Giovanni announced that Pokémon were to be kept in their balls at all time, and that anyone who is seen with their Pokémon is to be arrested immediately. Little more than a few days after that, Giovanni had made his final announcement on the elimination of Pokémon.

'Pokémon are dangerous!' he said to the world below him. 'If any of you see any of these vile creatures, it is your duty as civilians to withdraw firearms or any weapons you can find and slay the beasts! Don't even hesitate to think! If you don't act now, then death is the only way forward for you.'

Nobody wanted to die, and nobody wanted another 'dinner event' swarmed by an army of Pokémon. There was only one thing the public could do, and it wasn't long before they reacted. Manipulated, tricked, and almost as if they were beginning to fear Pokémon, firearms were pulled out on every opportunity possible. Pokémon weren't strong against bullets, after all. Before long, there was a noticeable difference on the number of Pokémon. Eventually, hoards of civilians stormed the forests, drawing a firearm on everything that moved in hopes of eliminating their enemy.

I couldn't do much to stop such a force. Pokémon centres, stores, contest halls were abandoned. Some still are, some have been refurbished and turned into something else, and all thanks to Giovanni.

Naturally, there were protesters. Ex-Professors, Trainers, Co-ordinators and many other Pokémon related professions would've fought against the law, but the law won every time. Those people were either sent to prison or never heard of again. People knew not to fight against Giovanni, but instead, fight with Giovanni. His numbers were huge. Around every corner rested a spy, and within every alleyway lay a mangled Pokémon corpse. Protests and rallies were the norm, usually ending in a few fatalities from a coincidental 'wild Pokémon interrupting the protest'. I went along to some of these protests, my Pikachu following me. And, although, overtime, our numbers were diminishing, we knew what we believed in. Proud and determined, we used the rumours we heard about Giovanni to our advantage, pressurising him with every fact we had.

Two years later, Giovanni was still in power and standing strong, high above the world. The Mayor was etching closer and closer to finding his Mewtwo. With Pokémon numbers depleting fast, Giovanni secretly set up a team dedicated to finding and recovering his Mewtwo. With Mewtwo by his side once more, and the opposition eliminated, there would've been no one to stand in his way. He denied allegations that Mewtwo existed, and he continued to mask the truth to this very day, but he was getting closer. World domination was set in Giovanni's adamant eyes, but no one knew that. If I had told someone, I'd have been killed a long time ago. Besides, no one would ever believe me, and I even doubted myself on these facts overtime.

I never stood against him since. I valued my life too much. It honestly looked like Giovanni's war against Pokémon resulted in a landslide victory… and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.

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**Do please review! Next chapter will be coming up tomorrow, after a few finishing touches to it.**


	2. The New World

**Chapter 2, as promised. Enjoy ^_^**

**The Downfall of Battle Club**

**Chapter 2:**

**.:. The New World .:.**

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Paul always said there'd be sacrifices. The time we've spent, the money we've spent, the fact that every living moment we've spent has endangered out lives; I deem all these as sacrifices. I could never return to my normal self. I've changed too much, experienced too much, seen too much, and for what?

…To bring back the single greatest thing that has ever entered my life. Defying the law was hard enough, but knowing that I defied Giovanni was on a whole new level.

I had faith in Paul. Not so long ago, my world was ending. The last few months couldn't have been possible without him. Everything we've done was because of him; from the moment when our friendship formed, until about five minutes ago, I could never have questioned Paul. But after everything I've sacrificed, it's led to one important question that, in Paul's eyes, means life or death.

"Do you trust me, Ash?" He spoke so calm. A Zen-like expression crossed his face. His composure, in comparison to the many people that I've met over the years, was unmatched. "Because if you do, you'd know the right thing to do."

Paul never bothered to specify what a sacrifice meant to him, but I would never have thought it would involve a human life.

A single spotlight, summoned from the dimming light bulb, was all that kept the room brightened. Hanging directly under the light was the 'sacrifice'. Quivering and crying, shaking uncontrollably, the human under the spotlight struggled within the shackles that tied him to the chair. A towel kept his voice from calling for help, and even then, I wouldn't have thought he'd have the guts to call for help. He knew of his crime, as did I, but is it really worth killing the man for it?

"You don't understand the gravity of the situation you've put me in, do you, Kenny?" Paul took a giant step, entering the spotlight before bending his knees to make himself the same height as the trapped man. "Pathetic."

Nothing but a muffled voice came out of Kenny's mouth as he used every last ounce of energy in his body to reply to Paul.

"Oh, my mistake," calmly chuckled Paul as he swiftly removed the towel that sealed his voice. "Now explain yourself."

"-I'm sorry! Please! I was not aware of that she was a reporter! I never meant to cause you any harm!" he repented. "If I knew this was going to happen, I never would have done it! You have to believe me, Paul!" I felt sorry for the man, but Paul already had him at the palm of his hand.

He rose, looking down at the sobbing man with a belittling grin. "I'm sorry, Kenny, but those kinds of mistakes are unforgivable. You put the organisation's life at risk… our future… our dreams… everything we've worked for over the last month was _so_ close to being destroyed! Do you want this world to stay as it is?! To never know what it's like to be with our Pokémon ever again?! For this so-called 'New World' to reign on us forever?!"

Paul turned away, clenching his fist. I could see the passion he had almost leak in his sweat. Paul and I had a dream, a dream to bring back what was once ours. We wanted to be free again, we wanted to bring Giovanni to justice, but most importantly, we wanted our Pokémon back.

Information was leaked of our organisation in one of Kanto's largest newspapers. I knew for certain that it was Kenny, and I knew for certain who wrote the article – it was her. He must've fallen madly in love with her, spilling our greatest secrets and plans into the outside world. It was a simple mistake, but Kenny is a simple guy. Sure, it was gold to _her_ and the outside world, but what it did to our organisation almost drove us to extinction. I'd somehow always imagined that Giovanni prayed for a moment like this, and now that it arrived, I barely sought the thought of his next move.

Giovanni wanted nothing more than to see our rotting corpses. Everyday he'd complain endlessly in front of his goons about how we must be stopped, how justice must be served, and how the enemy must be crushed. We were a hot topic in the politics of the day. They'd call us 'selfish', 'stubborn' and 'immature'. We called ourselves 'righteous', 'determined' and 'honourable'. We sat at opposite ends of the spectrum; similar to a race, none of us would move an inch until the other one was stopped.

"You are aware that Giovanni's going to take advantage of this situation, right?" Paul told the whimpering Kenny.

"I'm sorry!" he repeated, tightening his eyes in an effort to avoid Paul's crippling glare. "Please…I never wanted this to happen! I'm sorry, Paul!"

"Are you ready, Ash?" Paul spoke, still facing away from me. "Now's your chance to prove that you're better than _them_. Prove to me that you trust me! Prove to me that you would do anything to make the dreams we yearn for come true! Prove it, Ash! Prove it! Kill the traitor!" A tint of madness reckoned in his voice. "You know what's right and you know what has to be done, so use that gun and kill him!"

I was not ready to defy Paul, especially after how far we've come together, but the last line scared me slightly.

In my hand, coated in a layer of sweat, was the handgun given to me by Paul. 'Kill him', he said.

What choice did I have? I knew for certain that the man didn't deserve to die, but what he did put us all in danger. My friends would never have stood for such a thing. Kenny would've been dead a long time ago if it were them in my position.

"Ash…" breathed Kenny, his entire body shivering violently under the immense pressure. "Please, Ash…please forgive me…"

Kenny was a righteous man who knew what was right, but it took the simplest of mistakes to land himself in Paul's hand. He grew more and more impatient as I hesitated. I kept lifting and lowering the gun, my heart pounding restlessly. The pressure was unbearable. My heart could've exploded. I couldn't have imagined how Kenny was feeling. He was still young, barely seventeen-years-old, and he had to get himself mixed up with us.

…But I couldn't take the risk. I raised my gun, pressing it against the back of his head before pulling the trigger. "I'm sorry, Kenny, but this _is_ for my Pokémon."

* * *

**3 months earlier…**

"…And in other news, seven people have been caught using Pokémon to battle outside Viridian City this morning. They have been detained and await further-"

I flicked around the channels with little motivation, my eyes struggling to understand what the world had come to.

"Giovanni. Mr. Giovanni!" I watched a reporter grab the attention of Giovanni. "On the two year anniversary that you decided to ban Pokémon, do you still stand by your decision to this very day?"

"Of course I do, the world is now a better place as you can clearly see-" Giovanni calmly said before I switched the channel.

"-another Pokémon-related attack has, this time, killed an innocent young-"

For every moment of the day, for every blink that refreshed my outlook on the world, for every second of my life that I had spent depressed, I could come up with a reason on why Giovanni should be stopped.

Quite amazing, isn't it? Time moves so slowly when there's nothing to do; it's almost like a curse. The longest two years of my life was spent in this 'New World', watching TV and reminiscing of my time as a Pokémon Trainer, and I sure as hell missed those days.

My reason to continue living in this excuse of a world rested with one thing, and one thing only.

"_Pika-Pikachu!_" my first ever Pokémon called out to me, galloping onto my lap where he curled into a ball with his wide eyes gleaming at me. I smiled. My last ounce of sanity rested with this Pikachu… my last hope in praying that the New World would finally come to an end.

The law stated that a Pokémon must be kept in their ball at all times, but after seeing my Pikachu's reluctance to stay in his ball, I refused to abide by the law. Sure, Pikachu loved me even more for it, but that made me a criminal of the state, an enemy of Giovanni.

I sighed, heaving my heavy self around my apartment before gazing out the window. An entire week of rain drew the curtains for an unusually sunny day in Viridian City. Looking out to the distant forests, a sea of trees enveloped in a thick layer of green began to shine. The view of the outside world is the only thing that I can appreciate now. The apartment complex where I resided was nothing special, not to mention it was cheap. I left my home back in Pallet Town two years ago. I couldn't bear to stay there any longer; too many memories of my time with Pokémon I've left behind along with my home and my very own Pokémon that are kept sealed in Professor Oak's former laboratory.

"Certainly is different, don't you think, Pikachu?" I sighed, glancing out the window lazily. "Two years ago today…wow…you don't suppose I could run for office, eh?" I asked out of the blue with a wide grin. "You know, teach that Giovanni-guy a thing or two?"

"_Pikachu_!" Pikachu giggled, crawling up to my shoulder before taking a long, hard stare at the outside world. I also giggled, after all, it was the little moments with my Pokémon that kept me going, that kept me motivated and longing, aspiring for change. Me running for office?! I don't have the gut. Giovanni made light work of anyone that stood against him anyway, and I wasn't particularly willing to join them in line.

I sighed. "I'm off to get some groceries. You remember what I told you, right?" I stood up, placing my Pikachu back on the sofa as he opened an eye and pointed it at my direction. "Stay away from the windows, stay away from the door, and don't answer the phone, okay?" I firmly reminded.

"_Pika_!" Pikachu, despite hearing those words of mine for the thousandth time, replied with an upbeat approval. My strictness only justified my love for Pikachu. Many times he's been caught, but many times we wriggled ourselves out of trouble. Every day, a trip to the grocery store meant that there was a small chance that Pikachu may follow me, or that a wild Pokémon would appear out of a bush looking for food and then a panicked individual would draw their firearm and shoot the poor thing. The world never used to be liked this, but ever since Giovanni came into power, it was almost as if. This 'fear' was what kept people were afraid of Pokémon Giovanni in power. Daring to run against him was pretty much a death sentence.

Outside, it looked just like any normal day. The summer breeze and the midday sun gently pressed against my face like a soft cushion. The once lively streets that were filled with people and Pokémon have been altered to make it as if there are no Pokémon. It couldn't be denied that the world just looked emptier without their presence.

* * *

"That'll be $9.60, please," the cashier told me.

Pokémon food was rare, too. Since two years ago, I had to adapt to the sudden change by creating my own Pokémon food. Pikachu and I had the mutual agreement that I needed some practice, but I still believe to this day that he just swallows it with a smile. As you probably could've guessed, I love my Pokémon, and would want nothing more than to see them back again.

Little could be said about what many other people felt about Pokémon, though…

"Get away from me, you filthy creature!" I shot my head in the direction of an elderly lady wildly swinging her walking stick in the direction of a baby Pidgey.

"Kill it!" another anonymous voice shouted. "That beak will take your arm off!" It wasn't long before an army of civilians rose to aid the elderly woman by throwing stones and prodding sticks at the young Pidgey as it attempted to get away from the hostile crowd.

"Don't let it get away!" another man said, throwing a particularly large stone at the Pidgey's wing. A direct hit was all it took to send the Pidgey plummeting to the ground. The swarm of angry, scared individuals dived after the fallen Pidgey, throwing every last ounce of energy at the helpless bird before… silence.

The crowd dispersed almost immediately, abandoning the last remains of the Pidgey; its wings soaked in blood and its legs snapped and crooked.

"Sick animal! Giovanni was right."

"Pokemon, scum of the earth!"

"To think I once owned one of them!" The crowd continued to mutter as they got on with their daily lives.

I, however, couldn't muster the energy to speak. The anger I felt that moment was enough to almost kill a man. I clenched my fist, exposing my blood-red veins as I lowered my head, shaking uncontrollably. A steaming hot tear flowed down my skin; the singed mark on my face where the tear slithered condensed as I rose my head up again.

How could this have happened…? What happened to people…?

I know what happened. Giovanni was what happened. The last two years have been nothing but hell for Pokémon, or at least, what's left of them. The so-called 'New World' was a world of fear where Pokémon were forced to stay hidden at all times, where any chance of getting Pokémon back was severely reduced, but most importantly; the 'New World' was a world where even the people began fearing Pokémon. Bullets spoke more than a Tackle, and that was the driving force behind Giovanni's success. They were brainwashed; fake stories and deliberate attacks were the medicine Giovanni fed to the people.

I couldn't stand here and do nothing. I wanted to change this 'New World' and bring back the old one. I was just one man, but I couldn't sit home and do nothing. Something had to be done-

"You're upset about the Pidgey, aren't you?" A sudden voice appeared to my right. I immediately flustered, throwing my sight in the direction of the individual before shaking my head frantically.

"No-no, of course not!" I replied. Who knew what he would've done if I had told him so. I heard a rumour that Giovanni has a spy around every corner, maintaining the fear and keeping Pokémon at bay.

"Oh, okay," he calmly said with a smirk. To my surprise, this individual looked around the same age as me. His thick purple hair reminded me of someone I had met before. He slowly strolled away, his steps short and gentle, but that wasn't what caught me. He had a look in his eye, the look of animosity that a Pokémon Trainer, such as myself, had as we encountered a dismal scene such as the one paved in front of my eyes. I could hear him scowl and shudder as he took a second quick glance at the mangled Pidgey, obviously showing as much disgust as me.

"Hey!" I called out, running to the purple-haired boy.

He turned around slowly, glaring at me with an expressionless face. I wasn't certain, but this guy had to be a Pokémon Trainer once. But how would I know for sure?

"Yes?" he spoke, waiting patiently.

"Ermm…" I hesitated. He could've been a spy for Giovanni for all I knew, I could be walking right into a trap. "I just er… was wondering… were you at all upset about the Pidgey?" I asked, flustering along the way. Checkmate, my friend.

"Yes," he replied with a frozen expression almost immediately. I widened my eyes, stunned. "I feel extremely sorry about the Pidgey-"

"What are you saying?! People can hear you!" I scolded, whispering viciously. "Aren't you scared if Giovanni hears you, or one of his spies? You do know what happens to people like you, right?" I propelled my hands against his shoulders, shaking him gently into place. "You'll be killed!"

"Giovanni? I'm not scared of Giovanni." The calmest of expressions crossed his face. He spoke so convectively, I believed every word he said. "I'm not scared of prison, torture or anything like that. The only thing I fear…is Mewtwo…"

Mewtwo…Mewtwo was the name of the Pokémon Giovanni is rumoured to have created. Whether or not it exists is a matter of opinion, and is highly debatable, but of all things to fear, why Mewtwo?

"So, are you going to report me to Giovanni?" he suddenly said, turning his eyes to his left. "Are you going to rat me out and send me to prison?" he asked, pushing my hands off his shoulders.

"Err…" I froze. He truly wasn't scared of Giovanni. "No, of c-c-course not! I just er-"

"Because you didn't answer my first question, answer me this, do you miss Pokémon?" he interrupted, pinning another question onto me. "Or wouldn't you mind having your legs mangled and wings made useless by an angry herd of savages?"

"…You really do feel that strongly, don't you?" I narrowed my eyes. What he was doing was suicide, against Giovanni's law. He didn't know me, why should he be telling me all this?

"Hmph, of course I do, and I take it your next question is 'why am I telling you all this?' am I correct?"

I flustered once more. "Well, yes, I guess that's a good question."

"Because you had a crushed look in your eye, as if you're missing in your life, something that was once very dear to you. And then I noticed your reaction to the Pidgey; you almost seemed disgusted by the people. Thirdly, hmm, berries and apricorn are only truly tasty to Pokémon; a human would require a rather strong taste to make them worth their money. I tell you, the person you bought it off must've been gullible, or simply not thinking deep enough into it. All these hints you've spilled out to me in the last few minutes, but don't fear, I have no intention of telling anyone, in fact, I wish to get your help," he explain to me without a hesitation. "You were once a Pokémon Trainer, isn't that right?"

I shook, taking a quivering step back with my eyes vibrating wildly. He could read me like a book, but how? "Who…wh-h-o are you?"

He smirked. "So I guess I was right, not surprisingly. The truth is, this is the first time I've actually walked up to somebody and talked to them about Pokémon in such a manner."

He paused for a moment, staring deep within my eyes with an almost petrifying look. "You and I, we're not so different. Both former Pokémon Trainers, both wish for the world to return, both appalled at how things have turned out. Somebody just needs to take the first step. And that step…" he stopped for a second, reaching into his pocket where he scribbled an address before handing it to me, "…is right here. I wish for you to meet me at this address later this evening, and er bring a Pokémon with you…"

My heart stopped. "A Pokémon?" I blurted out, only to attain a couple crippling glares from the incoming people.

"Yes, you heard me correctly, I said, 'a Pokémon'."

"A Pokémon?!"

"Yes, a Pokémon…"

"A Pokémon?!"

"We're not going through this again!" He whispered. "Meet me at this address and bring a Pokémon. Naturally, take a few precautions. Make sure no one's following you, make sure you don't see anyone looking suspicious, and make sure your Pokémon doesn't get out of your sight, you got that?" he explained.

I couldn't muster the energy to speak for a moment. What he was asking of me was… just wrong. I know he's keen about the issue and desires change just as much as me, but he would be willing to lay down his life for it?

"You seem troubled," he said, once again reading my uneasy expressions. "Giovanni's never gave a second thought about banning Pokémon, so why should we show him any respect?"

He stooped his head, baring his teeth at the ground in rage. "It's just a stupid law… a very mean, cold law… and I hate it! I hate it so much!" Tears steadily gathered in his eye, containing a very small amount of the hatred he had dedicated to Giovanni. "I want my Pokémon back, but I can't do it alone… that's why I need your help-"

"-Ash. It's Ash Ketchum," I replied, hastily. "And yes, I'll help you." I'd never intentionally took any of my Pokémon outside, well, not for the last two years at least. But I wasn't prepared to wait any longer. "But…my Pokémon-"

"-Pleasure," he replied, giving me an earnest smile. "And if you're careful, there shouldn't be a problem about getting your Pokémon from point A to point B. Trust me. And don't forget then, Ash. That address, that time, not a minute early or late, okay?" the purple-haired boy explained.

"Yes, I'll see you there." He nodded, turning away with a gentle stroll in the opposite direction. He seemed like a trustworthy person, the kind of person who, with unrivalled determination, would get what he wished for. But I still had several questions. Why does he want to see my Pokémon? Why does he wish to meet me? WHAT WAS HIS NAME?!

"Hey, I didn't catch your name!" I felt something special about this guy. There was something about him that screamed, 'freedom'. Almost like a beacon of hope, an invisible spotlight hovered over him. I was inspired. Never have I met someone with the courage to announce that they wish to bring back Pokémon, let alone announcing it to a total stranger, and for some strange reason, I had that excitable smile on my face. He knew of the consequences, yet he didn't seem bothered about anything. "I can't meet up with you if I don't even know your name!"

The purple-haired individual calmly stopped, turning around before smiling subtly at me. With a ghost-like voice, he spoke the few words that would change my life forever, the few words that paved the future for the next few months. Although I hadn't realised it just then, I had never realised how much of an effect such a simple question would have, or even what could become of it.

My story started here, an adventure was beckoning, the 'New World' was going to be challenged, and it all began with these words…

"My name's Paul… and you're going to help me stop Giovanni…"


	3. Battle Club

**Annnddd, here's Chapter 3. Do enjoy!**

* * *

**The Downfall of Battle Club**

**Chapter 3**

**.:. Battle Club .:.**

He said we were going to stop Giovanni; a man I had only just met, but in the short time that I've known him, he instantly become someone of great importance, possessing a different level of charisma and confidence that could shudder any other man.

Still stunned from earlier, reality felt as if it was looming in another dimension. I had barely moved around my apartment; rather, I sat up straight on my sofa with my mind overwhelmed with thoughts. My eyes shook with every distant sound and my hands shook anxiously as time went on.

Paul, he said his name was. A whole two years since the ban on Pokémon and he's the only person I've met with the courage to stand up against Giovanni. It took long enough, but I was just happy that I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"Are you ready, Pikachu?" I said to my Pokémon. After explaining my encounter with the purple-haired boy, my Pikachu couldn't do anything but feel anxious for me. Giovanni was always on the lookout for those trying to fight back against his policies. This could've just been another trap.

"_Pi-Pika_…"

Still, faithful as my friend was, he nodded as a reply, jumping into a backpack and zipping himself up. I reached into my pocket, pulling out the note from Paul where a scribbled time and location were quickly written down.

"Eight-thirty at the old Viridian City Pokémon Centre…" I quietly said to myself, raising a questionable eyebrow at the piece of paper. From what I knew, the old Pokémon Centre in Viridian City was one of the first Pokémon Centres I visited on my journey; I guess the nostalgia wouldn't be quite the same. After the ban on Pokémon, it was left abandoned; the entire building was considered 'unsafe' for refurbishment, and it's just been left to rot.

As I closed the door to my apartment, basking within the majesty of the moon, I shuddered. It was a ground-breaking moment, I remember. If it was a trap, I would never come back to my home ever again, but if Paul was telling the truth about how he wished to end the New World, then the first steps I took that day were the most defining and important paces I've ever taken.

* * *

Viridian City never was the friendliest place, especially at night. The lack of Pokémon on the streets didn't really help that fact. Every now and then, you'd get someone following you, probably someone working for Giovanni. Sometimes you'd even get a Pokémon fight in some alley where money and bets were placed on the winning Pokémon – these meetings never lasted long, and before even they could realise, they were behind bars for battling with Pokémon.

"Cold…" I quietly said to myself, standing at the forefront of the old Viridian City Pokémon Centre. It was falling apart, fast. The windows were boarded up, and the door was sealed shut with planks of wood with a spray-painted message on the side reading:

'WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD'

I felt intimidated and a cold, slithering feel slid down my spine. Of all the places, what made Paul pick this one? The building didn't look in shape, and there's a huge giveaway spray-painted on the side!

I pouted. It must've been a trap. Meeting someone like Paul today was simply too good to be true. Or did I imagine the whole thing? My brain wouldn't have done such a thing to me.

I sighed, turning away from the old Pokémon Centre where I couldn't help but feel rather disappointed.

"It's over, Pikachu, we're going ho-"

"Psst. Ash!" a voice hissed from the back of the building. I jerked my head up, throwing my eyes left and right in hopes of attaching my gaze to the voice. After a short while, a figure came from behind the Pokémon Centre, throwing his purple hair back and pulling a charming smile.

"Paul! I-"

"Keep the noise down, will you?!" he hissed, quickly looking around, soon regaining that smile of his. I smiled back, more relieved than happy that I wasn't dreaming. "Kind of glad you showed up, Ash," he said to me. "Part of me thought you wouldn't show up."

I managed to pull a smile. For a moment, I was surprised that I was going to show up.

"But before we go down, there's something extremely important I need to tell you," Paul said, placing a hand against my shoulder and leading me to a bench just a few metres from the Pokémon Centre. Directly above me, a streetlight was close to giving way; it's flickering light struggling on for dear life. I was tempted to take my Pikachu out to meet Paul, but feeling the temperature and the idea that Giovanni had his spies out at night as well, I felt I could restrain my patience a little longer.

After a short while, he began to speak. "Over the time of today, I was able to find more people like us, three to be exact. More like-minded people that could help us in bringing back Pokémon."

I couldn't help but pull the widest grin I could muster. I'd rarely felt this kind of happiness and glee over the last couple of years. I guess I was happy that Paul was being serious with me earlier, but hearing that there are others only makes it better.

"That's great," I managed to say, rather unconvincingly in my eyes.

"There's just one problem, though. I don't trust them," he blurted out, facing away from me.

From the short time that I've actually known Paul, I gathered that he's fairly complex when it comes to human understandings. Saying you don't trust the people who are going to help you change the world?! Seriously?!

"Excuse me, Paul, may I ask you something?" I later asked.

"Of course you can, Ash. Ask me anything; after all, we're partners in this little group of ours," he said to me just as a smile crawled onto my face.

"Umm, why would you ask for help from people you don't trust?"

He chuckled a little from my comment, facing me for the first time since we sat down. "It's a little more complex than that, Ash. Firstly, they have no idea that we're both partners in this – all they think is that I'm the mastermind behind the end of the New World! You're on the same ranks as they are, as far as they're concerned," he explained. "And that… that's where the trust issue comes in. If someone finds out about us or puts one of us to the wall, it's going to be me getting into trouble, me in the firing line, me against Giovanni. All it takes is one rat, just one, and everything falls apart. Which is why I came up with a plan."

"You're willing to take the blame for me if something happens-?" I said, a little astounded.

Paul ignored me and breathed for a moment. "You're the only one I trust, Ash. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I don't want any rats in my club. For as long as this operation is intact, my name that you and everyone else will refer to me as… is John Brontos-"

Instantly, my mind clicked. I never wanted someone to tell Giovanni of our 'club', as Paul put it, but the name he chose sounded remarkably familiar to me.

"John Brontos… lives next door to me," I slowly said to Paul who merely nodded. Within the next few moments, I put together Paul's plan and why it worked so well. By using the name John, Paul is able to stay safe. If some authorities or spies come to the door of my next-door neighbour, then we'll know we have a traitor- "John's an innocent old man, though!" I burst out, interrupting my own trail of thought. "How could we frame an innocent old man?!"

"Keep the noise down, will you? And if you see anyone come to the door of John, then all we'll have to do is find out which one of them bastards betrayed us!" He sounded a little mad, not to mention a little proud of his Anti- Traitor– Plan.

Even I could begin to understand the benefits against the cons. Poor John, though. Poor guy won't have a clue what's going on. Paul, on the other hand, looks as if he's been planning the whole thing through.

"You're the only one I properly trust, Ash," he said, facing dead-on into the darkness. "The other three took more persuasion, were more careful, and none of them had the passion you had, Ash. That's why I need you especially if we're going to make a difference."

I smiled. Although it felt great to be special, I felt a little pity on the other three. He was quick to judge, but I hoped that his opinion would change.

"So that's the plan. As for what we will be doing down there, I'll explain once we meet the others," Paul said. "Just remember not to call me by the name 'Paul'. It's John."

I nodded, and in a short while, I followed Paul to the back of the Pokémon Centre where he pulled a dislodged plank of wood from the back of the building, where we climbed into the old Pokémon Centre.

On what seemed like a pretty long staircase, the infinite number of cobwebs and clouds of dust were something I should've expected after wondering illegally into an abandoned building. Eventually, my eyes caught the attention of a door at the end of the staircase with a bright light bordering it.

Paul looked at me once more the moment we stopped at the door, smiling at me before we pulled open the door.

A blast of white morphed into a simple room with the light shining down from the ceiling. In the corner, many broken chairs and tables along with old hospital equipment looked out of use with the dust piling up at an exponential rate. There was an extremely small window where a flicker of light was able to find its way into the basement. And then, I noticed the three people Paul had mentioned – our weapons in the fight against Giovanni.

Standing in the centre of the room, three more males stood with their arms folded, standing in a direct line with expressionless faces; one with green hair, one with chestnut-coloured hair, and one with a red headband.

"Gentleman, gentleman," Paul cheerfully said, walking to the back of the three males and placing an arm around their shoulders. "This here is Ash. Be friendly with him. He's the one I mentioned earlier, so be nice and get acquainted."

* * *

After a few minutes, I learnt quite a lot about the three males and even about Paul- I mean, John. They weren't really as untrustworthy as he tried to convey, though. They all seemed like reasonable people, just like myself and the purple-haired boy in a sense that they all loathed Giovanni just as much as I did. Over the last two years, they've been living in the same conditions, feeling the same animosity, the same hate and disgust for the New World.

The green-haired one was Drew, a former Pokémon Co-ordinator; now, working at some rip-off burger franchise. Claiming to still retain his self-proclaimed 'charm', Drew's been in about thirty to forty jobs since the New World began, from club singer to bartender to actor – he's been it all.

And then there was Tracey, who really didn't talk that much. Former Pokémon Watcher and Pokémon genius; whilst we were all protesting on the streets, he's been at the computers, rallying people and spreading the facts. He's a 'behind the scenes' kind of person, if there ever was one.

Kenny was the chestnut-haired one, the youngest out of all of us, and just like Drew, a former Pokémon Co-ordinator. Things happened back in his hometown of Sinnoh and he was forced to move here, but not without having some very strong connections in that distant region.

Even Paul was able to give a little more information on his past, and I was honestly surprised. He knows a lot about Giovanni, but that's mostly due to where he works. He's one of Giovanni's gardeners for his mansion in the Kanto region; a dangerous and odd job for someone who's fighting against the man. I did find it pretty funny how, if we were to strike it big in the world, it'll all because of his gardener.

The four men including the purple-haired boy, when put in one room, looked like an opportunity in the making. Our skills when pitted against Giovanni brought a smile to my face. I couldn't have honestly been happier, and yet, Paul still didn't trust them – not like he trusted me, at least. Why, though? They all seemed like decent people, all in favour of defeating Giovanni, so why not trust them?

"Now, onto why I've brought you here," Paul eventually said, walking under the spotlight. "The facts have been faced, and I conclude that the five of us won't do much if we storm into Giovanni's house demanding our Pokémon back. No, that won't work. Plus I may get fired."

Drew smirked. "I know that feeling," he said, flicking his hair.

"…I wouldn't advise doing anything irrational," Tracey said, slightly worried.

"So what else do you have in mind, John?" Kenny asked. I was quite surprised that they bought into all that alias thing.

Paul/John smiled. "We're not going to do anything until the opportunity arrives. We're a small group of five so there's very little we can do anyway. We're just a pathetic little organisation who Giovanni will dismiss, but that's only for a short while. Soon, we will come out of our hiding places and make a dent on the world."

In hindsight, the dent we made on the world since that day was something I bet only Paul could've expected.

"I assume you all brought your Pokémon, as I asked?" Paul said, retrieving a Pokéball from behind his back.

I paused for a moment, remembering that Pikachu was with me the whole time. I lifted him out of the bag where he quickly analysed the old Viridian City Pokémon Centre with just as much nostalgia as I did. Having been patient and quiet for the whole time, my Electric-Type looked a little too happy to be out of the house without much fear of being in danger.

"_Pikachuu_," Pikachu cheered, leaping to my shoulder.

Almost immediately after, four more bursts of light came from the Pokéballs of Kenny, Drew, Tracey and Paul, each revealing an Empoleon, a Roserade, a Scyther and an Electivire, respectively. Naturally, each of the four Pokémon were just as excited about being in the open as my Pikachu was.

"And now, we battle-"

"What?!" I blurted, immediately covering my hand against my mouth.

"Well, yeah. That's why I asked for your Pokémon to come to," Paul replied, leaning an arm against his Electivire. "Don't think we'll get very far if we just sit here and complain. So let's battle. C'mon, Ash. We'll make it me and you!"

Indeed, as you would probably have guessed, my heart was in my mouth at this point. It felt strange, but it didn't feel unwelcoming. I'd barely felt the adrenaline, the excitement of battling in the last couple of years.

"A real-life Pokémon Trainer battle… never really my preferred area of Pokémon training, but I'm not complaining!" Drew cheered, brimming a smile as we all moved old objects to the side of the basement, rather carelessly, albeit.

"You did prepare a plan, right, John?" Tracey asked, looking back at the purple-haired individual. "If someone sees us, or we get caught…"

He only stared back at the former Pokémon Watcher, then finally, he spoke. "There is no plan. If we get caught, then it's over," he sternly said.

It didn't take us long to create a battlefield in the basement of the Pokémon Centre. I somehow imagined that this would be the moment the police come in and bust us all, like I hear on the news all the time. I could wake up the very next morning in a prison cell, but the moment Paul, or John as I was told to refer to him as, stood by the side of his incredible Electivire, I knew there was no turning back.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Paul said, shaking his hands out. "Ready, Ash?"

I smirked. "Ready… John…"

An electric atmosphere pulsated around the room. For a moment, I was worried that a flash of light would fly through a window and catch the attention of someone, perhaps even one of Giovanni's spies, but then came the first blow from the enemy Electivire.

"Electivire, Thunder!"

It didn't look as if he was going easy on me. Paul commanded his Pokémon and within a short moment, Electivire shot its tails out where energy channelled into an ever-growing ball of electricity, firing the powerful ball of volts at my Pikachu.

"Pikachu, jump!" I said, but I wasn't fast enough. The ball of energy crashed against my Pokémon like a sack of potatoes, throwing the Mouse Pokémon across the room. "Pikachu, are you okay?!" I said.

"_Pikachuu_," Pikachu said, rubbing the back of his head with a smile. Not battling for so long certainly reduced his endurance.

"In that case, Quick Attack!" I called out. Pikachu flashed forward in a blaze of light, completely deluding Paul's Electivire who stood trying to catch the electric mouse, but ultimately failing, feeling the full power of the Quick Attack as it threw his whole body back against the wall.

"Hmph. So that's how you want to play it, Ash?" Paul smiled. "Game on."

"Bring it!"

Watching from the sides with just exhilaration present on their faces, Drew, Tracey and Kenny constantly switched their gazes between my Pikachu and the Electivire, each Pokémon, although rusty and unpolished in their techniques, battling with the fervour only expected of a Pokémon longing to let loose since two years ago. Sparks flew all over the room, flashes of light crashing with the thunderstorms that began to brew outside, and eventually, one Pokémon left standing.

"_Electiviireee_!" Electivire cheered, raising both its arms in victory. Just a few metres away from him, Pikachu lay, worn down from the sheer power of Paul's Electivire.

I wasn't sad, though. I felt invigorated, as if a shot of ecstasy surged through my veins at an alarming rate, completely flooding my insides with the excitement and drug that I so needed and missed since two years ago. I stood there with a wide smile, looking up at Paul who had a grin just as wide as mine. The winner didn't matter; what mattered was that I was able to battle with my Pokémon for the first time in so long.

"It's good, isn't it, Ash?" he said, still retaining his gaze. "Pretty awesome feeling, huh?

I nodded, barely able to summon the words I needed.

"Yeah…" I finally murmured, softly.

Paul walked up to his Electivire, brushing his thick fur before placing him back in his ball, and then walking into the centre of the battlefield, facing the four of us.

"That's what we'll be doing for the next few weeks. Pokémon battles every week. But I'm going to lay down some rules before we continue," he began, pacing around the room.

"Firstly, this secret meeting is _ours_. You can't tell anyone about this place or what we do, or else we're dead. We work on the foundations of trust."

Trust… Paul's philosophy was that everything was down to trust.

"Secondly, any sign of emergency and we'll do exactly as I say. Understood?"

But he didn't trust the other three for some reason. Why, though?

"And thirdly, and finally, above all of the voices in this room, regardless of what you may believe or your Pokémon may think... feel free to cry and bitch all you want, but you must trust in me and you must believe in me!"

The four of us nodded.

"I guess you could call the very first meeting of the next best thing," Paul said.

We were the five catalysts that would truly make a dent on the world, fulfilling Paul's vision. I trusted him either way. Paul felt like a leader. A turning point; a blockade for Giovanni. Sure, we're nothing now, but I had a good feeling that that was all about to change.

"Gentleman, the revolution starts now! Welcome to the first ever Battle Club."


	4. Downfall

**Anyhows, here's Chapter 4, so do enjoy =)**

* * *

**The Downfall of Battle Club**

**Chapter 4**

**.:. Downfall .:.**

Battle Club had been going on for four weeks by the point where I could muster a smile again. Battle after battle only fuelled my adrenaline for more, my lust for the excitement of being in a stadium, surrounded by thousands of thousands of people chanting my name. Even when I lost, I was still happy.

_When _I lost. I wasn't at rusty as I first thought, being able to beat Kenny, Tracey and Drew without much difficulty…but when it came to Paul, or John, as I was told to refer to him as, I hardly stood a chance.

Our leader was something else on the battlefield. It was as if he hadn't lost a battle in his life. No matter how hard I tried, he was the only one I couldn't seem to beat. Paul never loses, I guess – I only hoped this applied to our attempts at bringing down Giovanni and the reign of the New World.

I sat in the park that day, on a bench under the shade where the pellucid, blue sky over Viridian City was something to be marvelled at. With each passing breeze refreshing the environment, a burst of light flooded the greenery in front of me, illuminating the scene to something that could only be described as majestic.

Alas, everything would've been perfect, had it not been for a few things. Firstly, Battle Club was still very low profile. We were bettering ourselves, but there were still hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Pokémon Trainers out there who we needed to share this wonderful experience with. Secondly, Paul kept quiet about a lot of things, which began to worry me. Why doesn't he trust Kenny, Drew or Tracey? It all seemed too odd to me, but I assumed that was just Paul's way of doing things. And after four weeks of doing it 'Paul's way', I had no reason to complain.

I sighed. He did mention that he wanted to meet us all at the abandoned Pokémon Centre again, for something that he described as being 'the next step to victory'. Needless to say, I was excited and couldn't wait.

"Excuse me," a voice suddenly said. It appeared the real world wasn't able to wait for me either. I looked to my right to see the midnight hair of a beautiful lady, standing modestly with a pad and paper in her hand. "Mind if I take a seat?" she asked.

I quickly nodded, blushing in an instant. Girls never really were my area of expertise, I can admit.

"I shouldn't be so rude. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Dawn Berlitz, I work for the Kanto Telegraph. Perhaps you've read one of my articles?" she explained with a charming smile.

I glanced at her, but shook my head. "Can't say I have, Miss. Berlitz," I replied.

She giggled. "Well I am fairly new to the business, but I plan to hit it big," she said, leaning into me. "I have an idea for a story, but I need help on it. I don't suppose you could…"

The hint was something even I could've caught on to. She gazed at me with puppy-eyes pressing her fingers against one another.

"I guess. What do you need?"

"Well first, your name, please?" the journalist asked, quickly grabbing out her pen and paper.

For some reason, I froze. My name? Paul uses an alias these days, and doesn't that mean I should. I mean, we are both the founders of Battle Club. Naturally, I couldn't tell Dawn that, though. Hell, I'd probably be dead if I mentioned those words.

"Ash Ketchum," I replied, taking a huge breath.

Almost instantly, she looked up from her pad with wide-eyes gazing at me. "No way! Ash Ketchum?" she excitedly said, with an overwhelmed smile. "That's really you after all these years? Forgive me. I was a huge fan of yours back a few years ago, when you were a Pokémon Trainer. I know that was a long time ago, but I loved watching your battles on T.V. I was a Co-ordinator at the time, so I can't say we've ever battled…"

I did all I could to not pull a smile. Someone knows my name? After all these years I've been recognised for my Pokémon Trainer skills? And by someone like her nonetheless.

"Wow, you really remember me," I sheepishly replied, scratching the back of my head as a flush of pink cushioned against my cheeks. "I'm flattered, but I can't say I recognise your name from Co-ordinating. I never really had time to watch T.V, and besides, that was a long time ago."

"Perhaps, but you're the one who inspired me to take on a Pokémon-related profession. Look at me now, working for the Kanto Telegraph. I guess that was a long time ago, huh? Just look at how much things have changed," Dawn said, giggling. "Anyhow, I'm going off topic. I need your help with an article I intend on writing. Just a simple question, but it requires a lot of thought. Can you help me?"

She did it again. Pulling out the puppy-eyes, she pulled me in. Not that I wasn't bothered by answering the question. I had hours to spare, anyway.

"Fire away, Dawn," I said, turning my body towards her.

Picking up her pen and paper, I began to believe that this wasn't such a good idea; and then she began talking in what looked like a much rehearsed question. "Over the recent months, there have been more and more people being caught and sentenced as a result of Pokémon-related crimes, such as battling with Pokémon and letting Pokémon out of their balls. Can you please give a response as to what you believe the reason for this rise is?" she explained to me in a single breath. "Woo, practicing that one for ages."

Pokémon-related crimes… battling… She wants me to explain why places like Battle Club exist? I wouldn't see the light of day if I mentioned how I'm part of group that is aiming to topple Giovanni. Nor would telling her that Giovanni is wrong is something to be told.

"Well, I guess…" I flustered, going slightly red. "People just don't seem to know that Giovanni is right…" I forced myself to say. "He didn't just allow firearms to be used against Pokémon for no reason. They can be dangerous sometimes."

"Interesting," she slowly said, raising an eyebrow. "Coming from an old Pokémon Trainer like you, do you want me to just go home and believe all that? I'm a journalist for the Kanto Telegraph. Despite what you've heard, I'm not that kind of person who will write the lies. So tell me what you really think, hmm?"

She didn't look as if she wanted to give up. I never really progressed far into acting, so I guess that was my very own downfall. I wonder if she uses her good looks to get information from other people. Am I just some kind of broker for this information?

"And repeat myself?" I said, brimming a smile. "Two years is a long time. I guess I've changed a lot since then, you could say. Sorry, I can't help you."

She pouted. "No fair. But I guess if it's the truth…" she said. "But just between you and me… there are some days where I wish I had my Pokémon by my side."

The girl frowned, breathing a heavy sigh before turning back at me. "I know you're a 'changed' person who believes in Giovanni, but don't you ever get those days, too?"

I shivered, slowly adjusting my shaking head to the sky where I took a long, hard glance before turning back to the journalist. On the inside, I was smiling. Even if she misses Pokémon just that little bit, just that little bit is what a person needs to be on Battle Club's side. But I couldn't tell her, even at this point, about what I've been up to in the last four weeks. A journalist of all things?! Planning to hit it big? Well, Battle Club will hopefully one day be as big as it gets. Remembering her question, I wondered back into reality, smirking.

"Watch what you say, Miss. Berlitz, or Giovanni could hear," I jokingly said. She laughed alongside me, but on the inside, I was just happy that I avoided her question without having to tell the truth.

"Oh, Ash," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "And please, call me Dawn. Calling me Miss. Berlitz makes me sound like I'm decades older than you."

"Okay…Dawn," I said.

Now, I mentioned that I had barely any experience when it came to girls, but what happened next to me was something entirely reflex, as if my conscious worked against the laws of what I already do and know. For some reason, I did what I thought would be impossible.

"I was just wondering, Dawn," I began, feeling a drop of sweat crawl down the side of my face. I had to pull it together. Girls like confidence, right? "I was thinking if it would be… if it would be okay or sound if you- Let me start again," I said, taking a deep breath, not even looking in her direction, probably because I was too scared to see the look on her face as I broke down. "I was just wondering if you'd… want to go out for dinner sometime…you know, like a date?"

I couldn't believe what came over me. It felt entirely reflex, nor did I expect my body to force itself to say that. But I guess my conscious saw the kind of person behind the journalist mask that this girl was wearing. She was a former Co-ordinator, lover of Pokémon. She made me laugh and she's smart. She's cute, but at the same time professional. These were the things my subconscious managed to pick up for me, and that's what was about to land me a date.

That being said, I crashed back into reality where I had felt the entirety of my face go red, my hands shaking and trembling with the unwelcoming silence of anticipation that I so desperately wanted to end. I turned back to her, watching her smile with a small tint of pink cushioning her cheeks, the pupils in her azure eyes dilated.

"Y-yes, sure, of course," she replied, stuttering a little. I could have guessed that she wasn't so good at this game either. "I'm actually kinda glad I met you today, Ash, and it'd be nice to see you again, perhaps a little more formally," she said, regaining a little composure.

I only wished my subconscious was there for me for me all the time. "Great. Say tomorrow night at the Seven Stars Restaurant?" I blurted out.

"It's a date," she replied, cutely pressing a finger on my nose. "But, you know, I best be heading off. But I'll see you tomorrow, most definitely, right?" she said, rising from the bench with her pen and pad.

"Great! And yes, definitely! I'll be there," I replied.

"In that case, I'll see you tomorrow," she said with her departing message as she walking down the pavement.

I waved her goodbye with a silly smile on my face, like a little kid who has done something he deemed to be amazing. I sat back down, barely knowing that my potential was far greater than I first assumed. What triggered it, I wonder? Perhaps it was all down to Battle Club. Defying the law and defying Giovanni, doing what I want and battling, knowing that I could've been sentenced or even killed for my crime. Battle Club and battling with my Pokémon felt like I could do anything, and that anything was within my grasp. Thankfully, my subconscious paid off a little.

The park was my setting for the next few hours. I watched the clouds float past and the sun slowly disappear until only darkness was left in Kanto. It was then that I decided to walk home.

I always thought only people like Giovanni were allowed to be smug, but as I walked back to my apartment, I couldn't help but notice how everything was going well for me; I had a date with beautiful girl, I was finally battling with my Pokémon again after two whole years in the New World, and Battle Club was about to take its first big step in taking down Giovanni.

I was excited for the future, possibly for the first time in years…

…But how I envied those moments of sheer ecstasy, where I didn't have a single care in the world. Looking back, I wish I told myself never to have left that park. I did nothing wrong back then, and I didn't suspect a thing was going to happen that day. When I look back at what went wrong, it all traced down to this moment.

Things took a turn for the worst, but I didn't realise it then. No. My story about how I wished for my Pokémon back and how I wanted Giovanni to be stopped all changed at the moments succeeding my departure from the park.

"Ash? Ash Ketchum?!" I heard a voice call out, a female voice.

As I turned, I recognised an old friend, Leaf. Though, the difference between my childhood friend and this Leaf was that this Leaf had a great, big bulge. I quickly identified she was pregnant. But that wasn't the only thing different. Holding her hand was another childhood friend, someone who had a huge impact on my life during the days when I was a Pokémon Trainer – this was the guy who triggered the Downfall.

"Ashy-boy! Is that really you…?"

"…Gary Oak…?"


End file.
